


Fate's Will

by TheWhimsicalNoirette



Category: Brothers Conflict
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Drama, F/M, Family, Family Angst, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, High School, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Romance, School Life, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:25:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWhimsicalNoirette/pseuds/TheWhimsicalNoirette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asahina Ayako is the long-lost, adopted daughter of the Asahina family. But due to certain circumstances when she was young, she wasn't able to come back to the household which made her family members worry and search for her throughout the years. Now, she finally have the chance to reunite with them again after a long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Halooooo~ So, I decided to post one of my favorite works here in AO3. :D  
> I'm still getting the hang of the site, so pardon my ineptness. LOL  
> Anyway, I'm hoping you'll like the story! <3
> 
> Much love! ( > ^ 3 ^ )>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I present to you a fanfic for Brothers Conflict! //slapped  
> I hope you'll like it~ Tell me who's your favorite character~ ( e u e )v  
> Well anyway, here y'all go!

A dark blue-haired girl descended off the stairs. The wooden floor of the old building creaked slightly under her feet but her gaze didn't waver on the blonde woman and a man in his forties who was with the head caretaker of the orphanage.

"A-Ayako-chan, is it really you?" The woman whom she thought she would never see in her life again, asked her with her soft and gentle voice.

She felt her heart race with the way the woman addressed her like she was her own.

The teenage girl named Ayako finally stood in front of her soon-to-be parents... for the umpteenth time.

In fact, this was the second time the woman adopted her, but because of a certain... accident, she got separated from her and her past family. But now, she was more than glad to be able to stay with the people who will be able to accept her and treat her like a part of their family.

People who wouldn't be so judgmental just because she was adopted and people who would be able to understand and share her pain.

" _Mama_..." Her tears welled up and she felt something sliding down her rosy cheeks.

The older woman whom she called _mama_ , stepped forward with open arms and she ran towards them. The two of them hugged for a minute. The older man beside the blonde woman, smiled at the scene before him. Relief washed over him when he saw his new wife this happy.

It's almost been a year since they got married and he can see the melancholy look in her eyes when she looked at Ema, his adopted daughter, with her blue ones. He can never forget the longing expression that she has when they see other families with a daughter.

"Mama... I-I thought I would… never be able to see you again..." Ayako sniffed and while she pulled away from the hug of her former and now adopted mother, and wiped her tears.

"Excuse me for ruining the moment Miwa-san, but we need you to sign the papers so that you could bring home Ayako-san." The caretaker of the orphanage, smiled kindly and let them sign the papers. After that, the three of them headed to the car.

"By the way, Ayako-chan, this is Rintarou or Rin-kun. He's my husband so you can call him 'Papa', ne?" The younger girl looked at the older man and bowed.

"Hello, uhmm... Rintaro-san. I’m Ayako. It's nice to meet you and please take care of me!" Ayako introduced and stood straight up again. A bright smile lightening up her face. Her eyes were still slightly puffy because of crying earlier and her nose was also a bit reddish in color.

"You can call me 'Papa' like what Miwa-chan said." Rintarou smiled and patted her head gently.

"Yes. Thank you… Papa." The blue-haired teen shyly added, her cheeks tinting pink. Miwa chuckled slightly at her daughter's cute actions.

"Well then, let's go. I called Masaomi-kun a while ago to wait for you in Sunrise Residence and so he would be able to help you with your things too." Miwa said as soon as they rode inside the car. Rintarou was driving and the woman sat beside the driver's seat while Ayako sat in the back.

An hour and a half passed and they finally arrived at their destination; the Sunrise Residence where the rest of her former yet new family, awaits her.

A man in his early thirties was outside the entrance and he seems like he was waiting for something... or rather, for someone, to arrive. Ayako smiled at the familiar face who did not seem to change at all. The same brown hair and the same calm and gentle expression from 7 years ago.

"We're here, Ayako-chan. If you have any troubles, you know what to do, hm? Just call me or Rin-kun." The teenager smiled and stepped out of the car. The eldest brother, Masaomi have already unloaded her belongings from the car's trunk.

"Bye bye, Ayako-chan! We'll have a family bonding soon when we got off from work," Miwa smiled at her daughter as the latter waved goodbye to her mother and Rintarou.

"Masaomi-kun, you know what to do, hm? Please take care of her. Tell that to the others too." The cheerful, older woman reminded her eldest son.

"Yes, mother. I'll handle things here. Take care on your trip!" Both children waved goodbye to their parents until the car was out of sight.

"Let's go inside, Ayako-chan." The eldest brother smiled at her kindly and brought her luggage inside the residence. The only things that she had brought with her were one large and small trolleys, a sports bag and a backpack.

They went inside the elevator and reached their floor in no time. Masaomi opened the door as she looked around at the slightly changed residence. Ayako felt nostalgic just by looking at the familiar surroundings. This is where she spent two years of her life... and then, the accident happened. She shook her head to forget about the unfortunate events.

The older looked at her in concern, "Are you okay, Ayako-chan? Are you not feeling well?"

Ayako shook her head again and answered, "No... I was just feeling...nostalgic. It's been a long time since I last... stayed here. The place changed but not that much..."

"I see... Well, the place didn't change much and the people living here too. So don't worry about it, hm?" Masaomi smiled at her before the two of them entered the house.

All of the siblings were complete, sitting in the living room, watching T.V while waiting for them. An unfamiliar face caught her attention though, because it was a girl sitting right in the middle of the long couch, amidst the sea of guys.

Masaomi must have noticed her tensing because he immediately put a hand on her shoulder to calm down the younger girl. "Don't worry. She won't bite. She's also our new sister. It's been a year since she came here."

"W-what's her name, Masaomi-oniichan?" Ayako swallowed the lump in her throat that was about to form and was glad to be able to ask.

"Her name's Hinata Ema. She's the daughter of Rintarou-san. She's a bit older than you by a few months, I guess." She nodded in return, understanding what Masaomi had told her.

"Let's go and surprise them, ne?" Ayako just gave the older guy a reassuring smile which didn't seem so reassuring, in her opinion.

"We’re back!" Masaomi greeted and all heads shot up to look at him and the girl beside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Also, thank you for giving this story support and lots of love!  
> Continue to stay tuned~ :D


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The others weren't also able to stop their tears from flowing anymore. Even Ema, the new addition to their family, was now crying due to the happy reunion and seeing her new siblings with relieved and joyous expressions on their faces just by seeing Ayako.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having fun writing this story even though sometimes I end up having a writer's block and I can't even update regularly. ; n ; //shot
> 
> I'm sorry, please forgive me! DX

Fourteen heads shot up to look at the two of them who was at the entrance of the house, if you included the squirrel sitting on top of the shoulder of the girl named Ema. Ayako tensed up when she looked at all the people who were gathered in the living room. Their stares seemed to burn her skin.

"Let's leave your things here for the time being and fix that later, okay?" Ayako nodded her head slowly and she reluctantly set aside her belongings at the corner. Then, Masaomi and Ayako descended down the stairs.

The two stood in front of the others who were still sitting, practically frozen in their seats. They were too stunned to be able to move. All the males in the household, except for Masaomi, were having the same thoughts; thinking that what – or rather, who they are seeing right now was a dream.

Ukyo, the second eldest, was the first one to snap out of his daze. He couldn't believe who he was seeing in front of them. Their beloved little sister, Ayako, had just gotten back to them, safe and all grown up.

"A-Ayako..." The others were all tongue-tied at the name that Kaname, the third eldest among them, had uttered.

They didn't want to believe it, but the way Masaomi was looking at them with assurance – that it is, indeed, Ayako; their long-lost sister whom they loved and cared for so much.

Hikaru, the usual level-headed and calm individual in the household, couldn't keep his usual front anymore as he fought with the tears that started to well up in his eyes. He covered his mouth with his one of his hands to stop himself from crying.

The fourth oldest just can't afford to break down in front of the younger ones who are all trying to do the same; trying to keep all of their emotions in check. Of course, with the exemption of Wataru who was the youngest amongst them. He recognized Ayako, however, he did not have enough memories with her to remember everything about her.

"Aya-chan..." The said girl stood frozen in her spot when she heard one of her nicknames being called with the same affection and fondness like in the past. She looked up from the wooden floor of the house. She had not realized she was avoiding their intense gazes which were fixated on her.

Her eyes stared into a pair of mauve-colored ones. He was one of the closest to her and she can't believe it too, that she was seeing him – all of them – in the flesh. Louis, the eighth brother, stepped forward and Ayako realized just how much she had missed all of them ever since their separation.

 _‘But miracles do really happen...’_ Ayako thought to herself as she smiled a little at them. The said action seemed to make all of them come back to reality. Still, they were hesitant to confirm whether what was currently inside the mansion was real or not. They were afraid that Ayako would disappear before them again.

"I-I can't believe this... I-Is it really you, Ayako?" A guy with orange hair whom she did not recognize, spoke up. However, his violet eyes and familiar beauty mark below his lip was enough of a hint for her to know who it actually was.

 _‘Natsu-nii had always had black hair… Did he dye it?’_ were her thoughts about the male.

He raised his arm up but put it down immediately; afraid that she would vanish if he even tried to touch her. Natsume couldn’t help but to stare at her some more, noticing how much she had changed for the last seven years they had not seen her.

"It’s me, Natsu-nii." She answered in a soft tone. Oh, how the seventh oldest brother missed the way she called him sweetly with her angelic voice.

Natsume really can't believe it and he was sure that his siblings were also feeling the same. They were having a hard time speaking up. It was as if their throats were being squeezed tight, stopping their voices from flowing past their lips.

"I'm back for good…" She added but trailed off when she heard someone sniffing and hiccupping. She turned her head slightly and spotted the culprit who was crying like a child.

He had messy white hair and a part of the right side of his face was covered with it. Still, the same violet eyes stared right back at her, filled with tears. The beauty mark under his left eye gave it all away though. A chuckle couldn’t help but escape her lips, realizing that it was Tsubaki. However, it eventually died down when he approached her with open arms.

"…Welcome home, Aya." Tsubaki nodded his head at her, assuring the girl that it was all going to be okay. Ayako immediately hugged him and buried her face into his chest, ruining the white shirt underneath his gray and pink, diamond-patterned cardigan.

The others weren't also able to stop their tears from flowing anymore. Even Ema, the new addition to their family, was now crying due to the happy reunion and seeing her new siblings with relieved and joyous expressions on their faces just by seeing Ayako.

"Tsk,” Someone clucked his tongue from behind Tsubaki and Ayako wasn’t able to see who it was due to the height difference.

“If you're coming home, make sure you contact us and not surprise us like this… Aya-nee." Ayako heard a snarky voice speaking from beside her. The blue-haired teen peeked a bit from Tsubaki’s chest and saw the second youngest among her siblings all grown up before her.

He was smirking at her, but his eyes held fondness within them. It was her first time seeing that sort of expression on him. Fuuto had always been a gentle child when he was younger. However, many years had passed and she wasn’t surprised that his personality had somewhat changed.

Back when they were still kids, Fuuto would always widely smile at her as if he had won the lottery. He was cheerful, kind and caring – the complete opposite of the person standing in front of her. Despite all that, she knew that his core personalities are still retained. For her, Fuuto's smile was one of the most beautiful and rarest things she had ever seen in her life. She would definitely treasure it deeply.

Tsubaki had let go of her now and Fuuto wrapped his arms around Ayako gently. The two of them hugged for about a minute or so until someone called her from behind. The younger boy hesitantly pulled away from her.

"A-chan," the familiar nickname that one of her closest brothers used to call her when they were still kids, made her perk up instantly. She faced the black haired guy who was wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, with violet eyes like his twins: Tsubaki and Natsume. She would never, ever be able to forget his caring and considerate attitude towards her ever since who-knows-when. Also, among the triplets, he was the only one who hadn’t change much, so she immediately recognized him.

"Azu-nii, I missed you!" Her tears flowed down her cheeks while looking up at the older guy whom she also missed so much. Azusa smiled at her kindly behind his clear eyeglasses. He had missed looking at her clear, dark blue orbs. Cupping her face with both hands, he shushed her and nuzzled her nose with his own, like what he used to do when she was still young.

Azusa, then, pulled her into an embrace and stroked her head gently while the others looked at the both of them fondly. They were still feeling overwhelmed although they did not care because they were just too happy that their precious, _precious_ Ayako was back in their arms.

"We missed you so much, A-chan. W-We thought you'll never come back to us." The dark-haired male stuttered, his voice cracking in the midst of speaking. He tried his best to choke back the tears that were threatening to spill from the corners of his eyes.

Ayako clung to his black blazer that was slightly similar to Tsubaki's but with different colors and design. She took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of fresh laundry mixed with masculine cologne. His scent made her calm down a bit.

"B-But I'm here now, Azu-nii. I don’t plan to leave all of you behind… _again._ " The younger girl whispered the last word, as if fearing that she would be taken away from her family once more. She chuckled softly, trying to lighten up the somber mood.

By now, everyone seemed like they were able to compose themselves and have gathered their thoughts. And hearing her laughter made them feel like they're finally half-freed from the past that was shackling them. They were reassured that she was not going anywhere anymore – at least, not for the time being or not with one of them accompanying her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do tell me who is/are your favorite/s among the Asahina brothers :D
> 
> I'd love to know the character who is loved by the majority. LOL //bricked


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They thought that the younger girl would be more shy and awkward Ema; or worse, they thought that Ayako would be resenting Ema for becoming their half-sister. However, that doesn't seem to be the case at all and they were silently relieved about it. They all worried for nothing.

Eventually, everyone was able to calm down and the commotion over Ayako's arrival lowered a bit, which she was thankful for. She couldn't help but laugh over her siblings' crazy antics.

 _'They didn't seem to change at all. Some of them are as childish as ever. I think Kyo-nii, Masa-nii and Hikaru-niichan are the only sane ones here, aside from Azu-nii, Suba-nii and Iori-nii.'_ The blue-haired girl's eyes wandered to a boy with grayish blue hair and a pair of hazel eyes. There was a hint of smile across his lips.

"Ayako-chan, why are you laughing by yourself?" Kaname blinked at her. His tone was laced with concern, but the girl only stared at him blankly.

"Nothing. I just realized how much I missed all of you." She said, making all of them look at her with the same gentle expressions. "Well, some of you..." Ayako quickly added and stuck her tongue out at everyone, whose earlier expressions immediately dropped at her playful comment.

Soon, all sixteen residents of the Asahina household including Ema's pet squirrel, Juli, were all in the living room and were catching up. But no one dared to ask Ayako what happened to her for the past seven years. All they know was it wasn't exactly a pleasant story that she would want to tell them after they had just reunited.

They thought that she might recall memories she wouldn't want to at this time. So, they all had a silent agreement that they wouldn't talk about it, unless Ayako decides to tell them herself.

"We should have a welcome party for Ayako's return, don't you think so?" Ukyo piped up with a rare, wide smile on his lips. He was waiting for the others to approve of his idea. But he was confident that everyone would agree to it.

"We should do that. Do you guys want to have an out-of-town trip? It's almost winter break, anyway." Masaomi asked, tilting his head to the side as he looked at his other siblings who were getting quite noisy as they told each other that they'll be checking their schedules first.

"Let's go, let's go!" Wataru stood up from the couch and started jumping like a rabbit which has sugar rush. The cute sight of the youngest made Ayako smile widely. An idea suddenly popped up inside her head. Ayako turned her head to Ema who was currently sitting beside her.

"Ema-nee, where do you want to go?"

Ema looked up from her lap, surprised at the way Ayako addressed her easily and politely. The same goes for the others. They were a bit dumbfounded when the younger female seemed to wholeheartedly accept Ema.

They thought that the younger girl would be more shy and awkward Ema; or worse, they thought that Ayako would be resenting Ema for becoming their half-sister. However, that doesn't seem to be the case at all and they were silently relieved about it. They all worried for nothing.

"E-Eh? Me?" Ema stuttered, gaped at the girl beside her as she pointed to herself. The blue-haired girl nodded in response with a reassuring smile at her way. Honestly, Ayako felt a bit awkward asking Ema. However, she decided to try and get along with the said girl as to not worry her brothers because it seemed like they took a liking to her and were quite fond of her already.

"Yes, you, Ema-neesan. There's no other 'Ema-neesan' hiding inside this house, right?" Ema looked at their other siblings who just smiled and nodded at her kindly, assuring that it was okay for her to choose their destination.

"W-Well, maybe we could go to a ski resort?" She blushed as she fiddled with her fingers. Ayako clasped her hands together and smiled widely, making her eyes turn into crescent moons.

"It's decided then. We'll head to a ski resort on winter break! This is going to be fun!" She squealed in excitement before standing up and heading to the kitchen. The majority of the people of the said household looked at each other with matching confused expressions.

"I'll prepare dinner for tonight, Kyo-nii!" The second eldest was startled at Ayako's sudden declaration. His eyes widened and he immediately scrambled after the said girl into the kitchen. The others quietly snickered at his flustered form. It was rare to see Ukyo act that way after all.

"W-Wait!" You should rest for now, Ayako!" The younger pouted and looked at him with puppy eyes, pleading silently. Ukyo stood frozen in his spot. It all went coming back to him. He was reminded all over again that he actually has a weakness for Ayako's pleading face and it did him no good in the past. He was at Ayako's beck and call every time she pleaded at him.

' _She didn't change at all... Still using her old tricks for pleading.'_ He sighed but nonetheless, smiled. Maybe just for today, he'll give in to her pleas willingly. It was good to have her back after all.

"U-Uhm... Ukyo-san? Ayako-san? May I help out too?" Ema appeared by the doorway of the kitchen as she stared at the two who were currently gathering and preparing the ingredients.

"Hmm... Ema-nee should rest for now. Kyo-nii and I will prepare the food for tonight," Ayako winked at Ema, as the latter blinked and later on, smiled. "Kyo-nii must have been bossing you around the kitchen. Kyo-nii is very much like a _mama_ in this household and his apron is proof of that."

Both girls laughed heartily, while Ukyo looked at them with a hint of concern. He decided not to take Ayako's joke to heart. She had always been one to make touchy comments such as the ones earlier. He sighed once more, a small smile lingering across his lips.

 _'No wonder Ayako-san is so loved. She knows them all like the back of her hand.'_ Ema thought as she retreated back to the living room after being playfully shooed by Ukyo and Ayako.

At the same time Ema returned, Fuuto had snuck out of the living room. No one had noticed him leaving for the kitchen to get some water. He was about to step inside when he noticed the gloomy expressions that his siblings were sporting and the heavy atmosphere surrounding the two.

 _'What are they talking about?'_ Fuuto wondered to himself as he listened in to the conversation. He barely heard anything because Ayako and Ukyo were speaking in hushed and soft voices.

"Ayako, you know you could always tell us anything right?" Ukyo started after the silence between the two of them. He was seriously staring at the pot of curry that he was currently stirring slowly. Ayako was beside him and both their backs were facing Fuuto.

Fuuto's brows immediately furrowed at the reassuring tone Ukyo had spoken with. He pretty much caught on what the two were talking about. Apparently, their older brother was making sure that Ayako would at least tell them what happened to her, more or less. And he was reassuring her that everything would be okay.

"I know, Kyo-nii. But," Ayako responded shortly and paused. She was looking at her hands as if it was really interesting. The said girl was playing with her fingers; a habit that she had since she was young when she was nervous or feeling unsettled. The spying, younger Asahina took notice of that.

The blonde male stopped what he was doing at once and patted the head of the girl beside him when she fell silent. Ayako looked up, meeting eyes with his older brother's blue ones. "Don't worry, okay? We'll wait for you as long as you want to."

The silence was broken when they heard a boiling sound coming from the pot. Fuuto took this as a signal to go back to the living room before one of them comes out of the kitchen.

"Yosh! Food's ready!" Ayako smiled brightly. However, the action seemed not to reach her eyes like a while ago. Ukyo thought that she might want some time alone to recollect her thoughts.

"Alright. I'll call for someone to help you prepare." Ukyo patted her head once more before poking out his head from the counter to call out to their other siblings and tell them that the food was ready.

"Oiii~" Ayako snapped out of her thoughts at the voice beside her. There was a finger continuously poking her cheek too, which made her feel annoyed. The action alone was enough for her to know who it was. She slapped the hand lightly, knowing that the annoying one out of the twins was the one who must have volunteered himself in the kitchen to help.

"Tsuba-nii, don't annoy me. Just help me set the table." She looked at him in warning.

The white-haired guy chuckled and answered, "Yes, milady~" before he proceeded to set up the table. Ayako clucked her tongue and gave Tsubaki the silverware needed.

As soon as they were done setting up the table, they went out of the kitchen and put the servings of food on the table with the help of Ukyo and Ema. The family of sixteen ate happily as laughter rang throughout the entire house.

Excited chattering and never-ending story telling happened while they were having their dinner, complete, for the first time.

 _'I wonder if this is a dream. If it is, please don't wake me up.'_ Ayako thought to herself as she scanned the faces of the family members she thought she would never have the chance to see again.

 


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The older girl, who was still busy preparing the tea, could hear Tsubaki laughing loudly before praising Ayako for being such a good little sister. Ema nearly dropped the teacup that she was holding onto because of his comment.

Days passed and the Asahina family grew closer than ever, due to a single addition. There were less bickering among the childish brothers and more family time. Even the usual busy people, like Ukyo, Fuuto, the twins and Subaru took time off their hectic schedules.

Having Ayako around, seemed like it made the people in the household loosen up a lot and grow closer than before. Ema immediately noticed the sudden yet slight change in the atmosphere around the house. She knew why and it didn't bother her one bit. The girl was actually happy to see her new-found siblings acting like this.

But what was bothering her is the fact that everyone seemed to bother her less or was she just over thinking it? Maybe it was the latter. It's not as if she needed to have their attention all to herself anyway. They all needed to spend more time with Ayako anyway since she was away for a long time. Still, it worried her a bit.

Tsubaki was acting less mischievous and more mature. Fuuto doesn't act snobbish, like how he usually is towards her and smiles more often, especially when Ayako is around. Kaname's acting less like a flirt and more of a brother to her (not that she minded). And oh, let's not forget about Iori who seemed to be unsocial the first time she came; but now, he could be seen either hanging out with Ayako in the garden often or talking to one of his brothers, and even laughing sometimes.

The rest... well, they were the same as always. But it was obvious that they were paying more attention to Ayako than her. And for the umpteenth time, if you asked Ema if it was bothering her, then no, it doesn't... at least, that's what she thinks and what she wanted to think.

"Aya-nee!" Wataru, the youngest jumped into Ayako's arms and hugged the girl tightly, which the blue-haired girl returned affectionately. She kissed the top of his head before nuzzling his nose with hers. In turn, Wataru giggled heartily.

 _'Even Wataru-chan is with Ayako-san more often lately.'_ Ema thought to herself as she peeked through the kitchen counter, to the living room where the two siblings sat on the couch, while preparing tea for everyone.

"Yo!" Someone called out from upstairs and she instantly recognized the voice as Tsubaki's. Ema could hear his rushed footsteps as he descended down the stairs as if he was in a hurry.

"Oh, Tsuba-nii! You're home already? I thought you'll be home late?" She could hear Ayako inquire to the fifth oldest from the kitchen. Ema's ears immediately perked up at the information.

 _'Was Tsubaki-san supposed to be working all day today?'_ She thought and felt somewhat lost at the fact that she didn't know such thing. However, knowing that Ayako knew what was going on in the house made her feel somewhat... discouraged? Worried? She decided to shrug off her pointless thoughts for now.

"Eh? How'd you know, Aya?" Ema could imagine the white-haired guy, tilting his head to the side with a slightly surprised expression. The sound of the kettle whistling, signaling that the water is boiling, brought Ema back from her train of thoughts. She quickly turned off the stove and put some water into the teapot.

"You and Azu-nii are famous voice actors. It's not hard to imagine what your schedules look like." The brunette girl could hear the confidence and certainty in the blue-haired girl's voice. She gripped the handle of the kettle tightly, pursing her lips as she concentrated on her work. It would be bad if hot water were to spill on the floor and onto her. She'd be bothering a lot of people if that happened.

The older girl, who was still busy preparing the tea, could hear Tsubaki laughing loudly before praising Ayako for being such a good little sister. Ema nearly dropped the teacup that she was holding onto because of his comment.

 _'Focus, Ema! It's not like everyone don't treat you the same way as Ayako-san, do they?'_ She continued with her work, her mind slightly wandering. She poured green tea in five tea cups before carrying the tray into the living room where Wataru, Tsubaki and Ayako were comfortably sitting on the couch.

"Tea, anyone?" Ema asked and set the tray down onto the coffee table. Ayako smiled at her which she gladly returned. Tsubaki gratefully took one cup and sipped on it, sighing in contentment as he watched Ayako and Wataru interact beside him.

"Ema-nee, are you excited for the upcoming ski trip?" Ayako excitedly asked her, which actually surprised her. She looked so bright and excited that Ema felt guilty for having such indirect, negative thoughts towards the said girl earlier.

"Well, I do feel excited. It's going to be my first time coming with the whole family, at least." Ema explained to the blue-haired girl as she sat down, before sipping her tea.

Ayako nodded and looked down at her teacup which she was holding. Her expression became reminiscent and filled with longing. "Actually, I missed going to the ski resort with everyone. When we were younger, our papa would always bring us on a family trip when everyone's not busy. It's one of the things we looked forward to so much during vacations."

Tsubaki's eyes glazed over as he also remembered the times that they spent together with their father – their real father. He knew that just by mentioning or recalling memories of their father would make Ayako heartbroken. It had been ten years since he had passed away. She had been gone for almost seven years and was not able to visit his grave even once during that span of time.

"By the way neesan, why can't I remember you? Masa-nii told me that you were still here when I was two years old until I was four... So, why can't I?" Wataru looked up at the Ayako curiously. The three older people currently present were speechless at the innocent yet perturbing question from the youngest.

Ayako felt Tsubaki beside her. She noticed how the arm which was slung around her shoulder felt so strained. His fists have clenched tightly until it turned white and she knew that he was holding himself back from lashing out at Wataru.

Gently, the girl patted his thigh to make him calm down. It would be bad if Tsubaki were to lose his temper in front of Wataru. The kid might get a heart attack – or worse, he'd be too scared of the said twin to even approach him later on.

"Neesan, why is that so?" The young child asked once more when no one responded to his inquiry. His eyes gleamed in eagerness. Ayako just pursed her lips, preparing herself to answer him in the most understandable way for a kid.

"W-Well, neesan was caught in an accident seven years ago so I wasn't able to come back. Also, neesan became a member of a family she didn't want. So, I was only able to find mama when I was a bit older." She smiled, although it was forced. Ayako still smiled, despite the prickle she felt in her chest as she vaguely explained what happened to her seven years ago.

"Eh? I don't really get it, neesan–"

"Wataru! Don't ask Aya about that anymore!" Tsubaki reproached the youngest. Wataru jumped at his tone and the loudness of his voice. His face was pale and his pair of brown orbs were glistening with tears. On the other hand, the white-haired male was trembling in both guilt and annoyance for telling off their youngest sibling in that way.

"Tsubaki-nii!" Ayako emphasized his name, knowing that she rarely uses his whole name. It was a sign that she was serious and indeed she was. She was seriously disappointed in him for acting that way. Her deep blue eyes clearly passed him the message.

On the other hand, Ema silently watched in her seat. She was actually quite shocked to see Tsubaki act so frustrated over the situation. The usual happy-go-lucky guy was replaced with a serious-looking one right now. Still, she decided that it might be best if she wouldn't interfere, especially when she doesn't know what's going on except that Ayako's past is a touchy subject for everyone. And it was not a subject to be touched unless Ayako, herself, was the one who'll willingly tell them.

"Go outside and cool off your head, Tsubaki-nii." The dark blue-haired girl ordered rigidly, her expression frosty including her voice. Tsubaki seemed to snap back from his earlier emotional turmoil. He stood up from the seat and headed outside in the balcony to do what Ayako had told him.

"...Sorry." Tsubaki looked ashamed as he apologized before leaving, realizing that scolding Wataru harshly like what he did was a horrible thing to do when the latter only innocently asked Ayako that question. However, the older male still felt that it was also horrible for the girl to be questioned like that when she didn't even want to recall what happened.

"Are you alright, Wataru?" Ayako asked, rubbing the back of the youngest. She was trying to comfort him from his earlier scare. He'd probably avoid going near Tsubaki for a while, after what happened. "It's alright. Tsuba-nii didn't mean to scare you, okay?" She kissed the top of his head and she felt the child stiffen less in her arms.

"By the way, Ema-nee." Ema averted her eyes away from Wataru who was cowering and seeking comfort in Ayako's arms. She had an inquiring expression on, waiting for the said girl to continue her words.

"Do you know where Kyo-nii is? I needed him for something." Ayako sheepishly explained as she cradled Wataru in her arms, pulling him on her lap before hugging the said child.

"I think he's in his room?" The blue-haired girl nodded, deciding that she'd pay their second eldest a visit to his room later. She also mentally reminded herself to bring something for him later.

_'Kyo-nii is most probably overworking himself as of right now.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up? TheWhimsicalNoirette here. :)
> 
> Thank you for giving this story lots of love. Please continue to support it.
> 
> Feel free to subscribe or leave kudos behind! ^^v
> 
> Thank you so much! ♡


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kyo-nii! Have you seen my pair of boxers?" Ayako was startled at the sudden loud voice booming from the loft. The novel she was reading nearly slipped out of her hands due to the surprise it gave her. She waited for the person making a ruckus to appear.

"Kyo-nii?" Ayako called out as she waited in front of Ukyo's room, waiting for his brother to open the door for her. However, when there wasn't a response, she decided to knock thrice to let him know of her presence.

A few minutes later, the door opened revealing the said blonde male wearing his usual red, button-up shirt and black trousers – minus the gray vest and necktie. His hair was still slightly wet and a towel was around his neck, showing that he just got out of the bath. Ukyo's glasses were also nowhere to be found.

"Ah, sorry Aya. I was taking a bath," Ukyo seemed apologetic as he opened the door wider for her, signaling Ayako that he was inviting her inside his room.

"It's fine, Kyo-nii. I just wanted to talk to you about something." Ayako quipped as she entered his well-kept room.

A bookshelf was pushed against the wall just beside his study table and on the other side of the room was his bed. The room had a good ambiance and the girl felt comfortable immediately. It also has nice lighting and the theme was red and black which she knew is her older brother's favorite colors.

"So, what is it?" She heard Ukyo ask her, as she sat on the edge of his bed while he did so on the rolling chair that he pulled near where she was. The girl seemed to ponder over something for a few seconds before she turned to him with a smile.

"I was wondering where I would enroll. I was thinking that I could go try for Ikkun's high school?" Fiddling with her fingers, the blue-haired girl warily looked at Ukyo waiting for his response. She knew that she also had to talk about this matter with Masaomi too, but unfortunately, he was currently on duty at the hospital.

"Well, you could try for it if you want. I'm sure Masaomi-niisan would also leave it up to you to decide." He offered her a reassuring smile, before patting her gently on the head. Relieved, Ayako beamed up at the older male.

"Oh wait, hold that thought for a moment." Ukyo stared at her, surprised and confused at his younger sister's sudden outburst. He took notice of the mischievous grin creeping on her lips and he instantly knew that she was thinking of doing something.

"I'll go to Hinode High instead. Tee-hee~" Ayako flashed him an innocent smile, which seemed to blind him for a moment due to its brightness. Unconsciously, the lawyer sighed, giving up on convincing her otherwise especially when he knew what her sole motive was for deciding that.

"Goodness. It seems as if you're deciding your life choices on a whim. I'm worried for you, Aya." The girl only laughed as a response at her older brother's words towards her, which were laced with concern for her.

"Also, you'll accompany me to the school, right Kyo-nii? I have one more favor to ask." This time, Ukyo just smiled helplessly at the girl's enthusiasm.

"I guess, I've got no choice but to say yes huh?" As if on cue, Ayako nodded eagerly with a wide smile permanently plastered on her face.

* * *

It was currently a Saturday and the household seemed to be quiet for once. However, there were a few people who are rushing in and out of the 5th floor, as if they were in a hurry. Ayako just quietly sat on the couch watching them with an amused smile.

It was actually quite entertaining to see her brothers scramble after one another, although she did not know why they were in a hurry in the first place. It seemed as if the people with demanding works all have shifts today.

"Aya, I'll leave dinner to you and Ema-san okay?" Ayako just held a thumbs up in his direction to let him know she heard him loud and clear. It was quite a sight to see Ukyo slightly disheveled when he is one of the most composed and organized among them.

The girl finally decided after a few moments to stand up and headed up the loft to see off the bunch who are rushing off to their work. There were the twins, Fuuto, Louis, Masaomi and Ukyo. It was a wonder as to how all six of them are coincidentally needed in their respective workplaces.

"Kyo-nii, you got your briefcase with you?" Ukyo nodded in response, holding up the said thing which carries all the important documents he needed.

"Did you check your papers twice?" She asked again, to make sure that he didn't forget anything.

"Yes. Thank you for worrying Aya. I'm off then." The blonde lawyer patted her once, smiling fondly at the girl who had planted a light kiss on his cheek. Ayako waved at him as he waited by the elevator for the twins.

"Tsuba-nii, Azu-nii! You have your scripts with you? If you do, go ahead. You'll be late already! It's going to be past ten." The blue-haired girl called out to the twins who were still scampering about who-knows-where.

"We're off, Aya~" Tsubaki planted a wet kiss on her cheek, which she immediately wiped off in disgust. Azusa chuckled beside her as he kissed her on the forehead before bidding her goodbye.

"Call me if you'll get off work early so I can prepare more for dinner!"

"Will do!" Azusa called out as Tsubaki excitedly waved at her from the elevator. They entered with Ukyo who was waiting for them since the three of them were the first ones out of the mansion.

"Did they leave already?" Masaomi asked as he fixed the long sleeves of his green, dress shirt. His pure white laboratory coat hung on one of his arms. His usual gentle expression seemed as if he was in no hurry at all – except for the fact that some hair was sticking upwards, telling her otherwise.

Ayako chuckled softly as she stood on the tips of her toes, reaching out for Masaomi's head who was confused at first but composed himself afterwards after seeing that the girl had just fixed his hair.

"Thanks, Ayako-chan."

"Anytime, Masa-nii." She smiled reassuringly before adding, "You should go now before you're late for duty. I bet your co-workers are waiting for you."

Masaomi went out, shortly after bidding goodbye to Ayako. A few moments later, her attention was caught by the loud footsteps hurrying upstairs. Fuuto was taking large strides, heading towards the door while he typed away on his phone with Louis on tow. A slight smirk formed on her face, knowing fully well that he was now rushing to his work.

"Do your best, Fuu-chan~ Bring back some souvenirs or something, 'kay?" Ayako half-teased the younger male, which he returned with a scoff. Before he completely left the manor, he rushed back to where the blue-haired girl was, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Bye neesan!" He called out from the elevator. She shook her head, amused at the rare occasion that Fuuto would act sweetly towards her. Ayako had somewhat gotten used to his rough behavior for the past few days already, so it seemed a bit alien to her for him to act that way.

"I'll be heading out too, Aya-chan." Louis hugged her, which she gladly returned, wrapping her slender arms around his lean form. She inhaled his familiar scent of vanilla. It was a nice scent. It calmed her down whenever she embraces one of her brothers.

"Take care, Louis-nii." The male hummed in response, kissing the top of her head before he waved goodbye to her, the elevator doors closing in front of him. A proud smile crept up her lips, feeling pleased that she was able to properly send off her brothers to their respective works.

* * *

"Kyo-nii! Have you seen my pair of boxers?" Ayako was startled at the sudden loud voice booming from the loft. The novel she was reading nearly slipped out of her hands due to the surprise it gave her. She waited for the person making a ruckus to appear.

Yuusuke appeared from the loft, as if he was desperately searching for something. A frustrated sigh escaped Ayako's lips as she closed her book after making sure that she had put her bookmark in between the pages she was reading. She set it down on the coffee table and crossed her arms over her chest, staring intently at the red-haired male who seemed to be dumbfounded to see her there.

"Kyo-nii is at work, Yuu-chan. What do you need anyway?" Yuusuke descended down the stairs, a serious expression on his face. This made Ayako wonder as to what he actually needed with their older brother. The girl had completely forgotten what he was yelling about earlier either.

"Have you seen my pair of boxers?" He solemnly asked when he finally reached where she was sitting on at the long couch. The blue-haired girl slapped a hand over her face after hearing what he wanted to say.

"Damn you, Yuusuke."

"Eh?" The male just stared at her, clueless at what she was trying to imply to him. Ayako stood up from her seat and slapped his head, making the teenage male cry out in pain.

"What the hell did you do that for, Aya?!"

"You're hopeless, Yuu-chan." She sighed once more before she motioned him to follow her. Ayako went upstairs and entered the elevator, with Yuusuke trailing behind her, obviously confused. She pressed the third floor button where their rooms are in.

"Where are we going?" The girl just glared at him and he immediately kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to make her slap his head again. Their attentions were caught by the sound of the elevator, signaling that they had arrived at their designated floor.

Ayako walked out and stood in front of Yuusuke's room. The red-haired teenager looked at her, dumbfounded once more. She stared at him, waiting patiently for him to open his door. When he still didn't move after a minute had passed, Ayako finally snapped.

"Are you freaking dense? Open your goddamn door, Yuusuke!" The girl nearly pulled her hair out of its roots before knocking her fist on his head once more. Yuusuke fumbled with his pockets, as he searched for the keys of his room.

"Sorry," he apologized as he finally found and got a hold of it. He immediately inserted it into the keyhole, making the lock open. He twisted the doorknob and opened it wider so that the two of them could come in. Ayako just clicked her tongue upon entering his messy room.

Clothes were strewn all over the bed and floor. Yuusuke's bookshelf was disorganized, where some of his books were in a pile on the floor and some on his study table. His closet was open along with the drawers and it seemed as if a dog just rummaged through it to find some leftovers.

Another exasperated sigh couldn't help but escape her lips as she stared at the garbage dump of a room of her brother. Yuusuke glanced at her, seeing her pitiful gaze trained on him. He immediately went on defensive.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just realized you're worse than Tsuba-nii."

"Hey–"

"Actually, are you sure you're human? How can you even sleep when your room is in this state?" Ayako shook her head as she stepped further inside his room. Her nose immediately scrunched up in disgust upon stepping on an open magazine. She picked it up and examined it, her expression slowly changing into one of horror.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Yuusuke flinched at the loud volume of his sister's voice and he immediately turned red-faced like a tomato upon seeing her pinching the edge of one of his _precious collections_.

"How can you read such trashy materials?!"

"HEY! Don't judge me! Any healthy, high school boy has one or two of that!"

Now, Ayako was beyond horrified. She didn't know if she'd be amazed or bewildered at the way Yuusuke was acting after she found out one of his... _darkest secrets._ But she chose the latter, especially when he was defending his _hobby_ – _desperately_ , she might add. She finally decided to let go of the vulgar thing, throwing it on his face and making him grunt in pain.

"Make sure nobody sees _that_. I wonder what would Masa-nii or Kyo-nii would do if they found out you're wasting your allowance on _that._ " Yuusuke visibly shuddered at the thought of his older brothers cutting off his allowance if they found out about _this._

Also, the fact that Ayako had seen it didn't make him feel any better. In fact, he felt slightly guilty – if not more – because it was as if he was disrespecting her as sister and as a female for looking at gravure magazines.

"Get your ass over here. We're cleaning up your room. This is more than what you could call a mess. This is a disaster!" Ayako exaggeratedly exclaimed as she started folding his clothes. He quickly went over to where she was, helping her out before she performs a dramatic skit in front of him.

"This is why you're having a hard time finding your underwear. Dammit." Yuusuke heard her mutter from beside him, giving him a pointed, sideways glance. Well, she did have a point and he was quite relieved that he wasn't tasked to clean up alone. But surely, she'd have him pay her back or something, which _definitely_ worries him, because you do _not_ want to be in Ayako's debt in any way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! TheWhimsicalNoirette is back. =)
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the interactions between Ayako and her brothers. Hopefully, I'm doing the characters some justice. I'm afraid they might be a bit or a lot out of character.
> 
> Well anyway, I'm nearly finished with editing so I might be able to post the update soon!
> 
> Thank you for your never-ending support and love for this story! ♥


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I haven't? I think I have changed..." Ayako said in a small voice. It was rare for her to actually talk openly to her siblings regarding her feelings. Commonly, she would be hiding it in order to avoid conflict, to be interrogated and to be confronted by them.
> 
> And during those rare moments, it would either be Iori or Kaname – or even Hikaru – who she would actually talk to about it. Opening up and sharing what she currently feels are one of the hardest things for her to do.
> 
> "Believe me, you haven't changed at all..." He pulled her in a comforting embrace, stroking her back rhythmically. Iori leaned his head on top of hers, rocking on the balls of his feet back and forth.

Sunday is a day spent with family – at least, that was how it was supposed to be with the Asahina household – if the tradition hasn't changed yet. But with everyone having demanding schedules, busy work and school lives, Ayako figured that they are bound to have something up on that day too.

It was actually a nice surprise when the girl had seen everyone in the manor on a Sunday morning. They were either sitting on the couch watching TV, doing nothing or actually doing their assigned chores in the house.

Ayako rubbed her eyes, still feeling groggy due to waking from her deep slumber. She had already taken a bath and prepared for the rest of the day, just to slack off. But it seems like it was not possible with everyone present today. So, she decided to join a bunch of her siblings on the couch instead.

"Oh, good morning Aya-chan." Masaomi greeted her as he sipped on his cup of what she figured as coffee because of the aromatic, relaxing smell. She plopped down beside him with Wataru on his other side, watching TV intently. It was switched on some random cartoon show that he had been engrossed with for the past few days.

"Morning Masa-nii and Wataru~" Ayako cooed, leaning back and closing her eyes. She was still feeling sleepy because she was tired putting up with Yuusuke's antics yesterday. Heck, his room had been a lot of trouble to clean up. It was as if it had not been touched by a broom and a dustpan for years. Her throat was a bit sore because of her nonstop jab at his carelessness and irresponsibleness.

"What happened to you, Aya?" She heard Ukyo ask her. One of her eyes opened to see what the second eldest was doing. It seems like he had just set down a cup of tea for her. She smiled gratefully at her brother's considerate attitude. If only Yuusuke acts more like Ukyo.

She groaned loudly after remembering what actually happened yesterday. Almost everyone looked at her with concerned expressions on their faces. They were curious as to what had caused their sister to become so frustrated with something.

"Ask Yuu-chan," were the only words which left her lips before the door to the loft opened, revealing the person in question. Everyone's head swiveled to his direction, their eyes glinting in curiosity which baffled and at the same time, intimidated Yuusuke.

"Yuusuke," the said boy flinched at being singled out by their second eldest. Ukyo had a strict expression on his face as he motioned for him to come closer. Now, Yuusuke was sweating bullets as he descended down the stairs. Somehow, he was feeling more nervous with every step he takes.

"What did you do to Aya yesterday?" His eyes widened like the size of saucers when he heard Ukyo asking him that. His mind floated back to the scene where he and the said girl were arguing about his attitude until it totally went off topic that it ended up becoming a pointless and unnecessary bickering between siblings.

"A-Aya only helped me clean up my room. I was trying to find my boxers yesterday because Kyo-nii is the one who always washes the laundry..."

His voice eventually grew softer and his brothers' expressions dropped at the same time it did. They looked at him disappointedly which made him feel immediately ashamed of his actions. However, he grew defensive when he saw Ayako smirking smugly in between Masaomi and Ukyo.

"Aya!" He called out in a loud voice, which made the girl bust out in loud, hearty laughter. Ayako held onto her stomach as she doubled over the pain. Tears were slightly leaking out of her eyes continuously, as she wiped away those that tainted her pale, rosy cheeks. She finally calmed down after a minute or two.

"Sorry, Yuu-chan. I was planning to tell them the truth but it seemed like they assumed you did something wrong." She broke out in a fit of giggles, waving her hand apologetically at her miffed, red-haired brother. She stood up from her seat and went to where Yuusuke was standing, ruffling his spiky, red hair.

As if on cue, everyone – namely, Ukyo, Masaomi, Wataru, Iori, Hikaru, Azusa, Louis and Subaru – looked relieved at what they heard. Luckily, the annoying ones composed of Tsubaki and Fuuto were still sleeping in their respective rooms. If not, there would probably be hell to pay.

"So, I'll be starting school this week..." Ayako slung a casual arm over Yuusuke's shoulder. The said male along with Iori, actually looked surprised at what she said, looking at her with questioning gazes. She glanced at the both of them, giving them a lopsided smirk.

"I won't tell you what school I'm attending."

"But–"

"Shut it, Yuu-chan."

"Ah, right. I'll be going along with you then." Masaomi spoke up, smiling gently at her. However, she shook her head as she smiled back at the eldest who was slightly taken aback at her rejection of his offer.

"I already asked Kyo-nii the other day about it. He said he doesn't have anything scheduled so he will be going with me instead, Masa-nii." Ayako looked at the brunette doctor apologetically.

"And? What did you want to say, Aya?" Hikaru entered the conversation, a nicely-painted, fingernail tapping on his chin. His glossy lips were formed in a smile – almost a smirk, actually.

"I was wondering if everyone would be free the next weekend," she grinned, tightening her grip around Yuusuke's neck which made the male lightly slap her arm for nearly choking him. She just glared at him, shutting him up immediately and making him sulk quietly.

"Why? Did you want to go somewhere, A-chan?" Azusa asked, a smile plastered on his face. He pushed up his glasses, straightening out so it was sitting comfortably on his nose-bridge. Ayako only nodded excitedly in response.

"I'm guessing... Aya wanted to go to the beach?" Louis quietly piped in, making heads turn towards his direction. For a moment, Ayako was startled but her expression changed drastically.

She let go of her hold on Yuusuke and bounced towards where Louis is at, which was on the other end of the long couch. Ayako wrapped her arms around the said light-haired male, smiling appreciatively because he actually knew what she wanted to do.

Wataru's ears also perked up at the mention of the beach. His expression brightened and his attention was no longer on the cartoons he was currently watching. He clasped his hands together and started jumping on his seat.

"Are we going to the beach?! Are we? Are we?!" He excitedly chanted. Masaomi put a hand on his head in an attempt to calm down the overly excited, younger Asahina.

"Wataru," the eldest finally called out in a slightly strict manner.

' _It would be difficult if he were to injure himself,'_ is what the pediatrician thought to himself as he finally saw how Wataru settled himself back on the couch beside him.

"So, are we really going to the beach this weekend?" Yuusuke asked after a moment of silence. It seemed that everyone in the room finally reached a silent agreement about going to the beach.

"Then, I'll tell Tsubaki when he wakes up. As for Natsume, I'll also call him later." Azusa said, standing up and stretching a bit. He was going to head upstairs to wake up his older twin because he figured that Tsubaki was sleeping far too much already.

"I'll let Fuuto know–" Ayako stopped midway, earning her a bunch of inquisitive looks from the group of males. Her eyes blinked continuously as she pondered over the fact that she seemed to be forgetting something for a while now.

"Ah!" Everybody in the room was a bit surprised at her sudden outburst. It was quite amusing to see Ayako act like this sometimes, where she will be talking to herself and not minding whether or not people will peg her as weird.

"What about Ema-nee?" She finally asked. They all froze in their seats, slightly stunned at the fact that they actually forgot to ask Ema for her opinion about their sudden outing on the next weekend. Fortunately, Ayako actually remembered.

Seeing the stupefied looks on her brothers' faces, Ayako figured that it actually left their minds that they also had to ask Ema about the beach. A giggle couldn't help but escape her lips. How typical of her brothers. It won't be a wonder if they were to forget one or two people from their household, seeing that they have a lot of people living together.

"I'll let the others know later. Just to make sure, let those who are rarely home know too, alright?" Everyone just nodded their heads in agreement before dispersing to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what.

"Iorin~" Ayako called out, before Iori goes down to the garden. The slate-color haired male looked back to see the blue-haired girl smiling widely at him. It was a rare chance for them to be able to talk alone.

Usually, he'd be busy with school works or tending to the garden to do so or Ayako would be with one of their brothers so he had a hard time finding a chance. He was lucky that they were finally able to talk to each other.

Iori patted her head gently, looking at her fondly. Ayako only kept silent and just continued to smile up at him. There was a small height gap between the two of them wherein the both of them could remember how they were almost the same height back when they were younger.

"You haven't changed at all, Ayako." The senior, high school student smiled a bit. His usual stoic expression gone before his favorite, younger sibling. The smile on Ayako's face dropped a bit at his comment and Iori slightly panicked, thinking that he might have offended her.

"I haven't? I think I _have_ changed..." Ayako said in a small voice. It was rare for her to actually talk openly to her siblings regarding her feelings. Commonly, she would be hiding it in order to avoid conflict, to be interrogated and to be confronted by them.

And during those rare moments, it would either be Iori or Kaname – or even Hikaru – who she would actually talk to about it. Opening up and sharing what she currently feels are one of the hardest things for her to do.

"Believe me, you _haven't_ changed at all..." He pulled her in a comforting embrace, stroking her back rhythmically. Iori leaned his head on top of hers, rocking on the balls of his feet back and forth.

"I think I've become more selfish than I used to be," Ayako further elaborated, finally wrapping her slender arms around Iori's torso. His hold only tightened around her. A sign that she was free to let all her emotions and feelings out on him.

A light-hearted laugh could only escape her lips as a response to that action. Even if Iori does not say anything that much, she was still comforted and grateful for him simply being there for her, when she needed a shoulder. Of course, she could say that the same goes for her.

"Iorin, I'm sorry..."

Iori was perplexed at Ayako's sudden need to apologize to him. He stroked her head gently as he cradled her in his arms. A quiet laugh escaped his lips when he felt her clutching onto his shirt tightly.

"Why are you sorry? There's no need for that." He simply responded, not really liking the fact that his younger sister is apologizing for no exact reason. Ayako pulled away from the embrace, looking up at him with searching eyes.

"I'm just sorry for worrying everyone for the past seven years..." She quietly said, and he too, immediately fell into tensed silence.

No matter how much they wanted to forget that traumatic incident of knowing that Ayako was suddenly gone, it will still come back to haunt every single one of them.

"I think you don't have to worry about that anymore. What's important is that you're back to us again." Iori smiled warmly at her, which settled Ayako's troubled and anxious heart. He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head before finally letting go of her.

"I think you should be more worried about tomorrow..." He continued and looked at the female before her with a small, knowing smile. Ayako was confused for a moment before Iori further added.

"There's school tomorrow, right?"

Silence.

_"Oh, shit."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Hey guys! It's TheWhimsicalNoirette. :)
> 
> Chapter 6 is up and I am hoping that you liked the recent update.
> 
> If you have any confusions regarding the story so far, let me know in the comments section. Anyway, kindly continue supporting and giving this story lots of love!
> 
> Thank you very much! v( ^ w ^ )v


	7. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "See you later, Kaname-niisan." She called out to him as she followed the older male to the door of the room, shutting it close on his very face, which clearly surprised him.

The rest of the week had passed by normally and it was finally Friday night. The members of the Asahina are all busy to prepare their belongings for their family trip tomorrow morning. The whole mansion was in a bustle because there were still a handful of people who rummaged through their rooms for things that they could bring for the trip.

Dinner was long over, so some people immediately went to continue or start packing, while some are relaxing on the long couch, watching a random talk show on TV. Random shouts of someone finding something would sometimes echo in the room, along with the slamming of the door in the loft. A _very_ annoying sight for Ayako, to be honest.

"And this is the result of them _taking their own sweet time._ " Ayako quietly sipped on her tea as she leaned back on the couch, her eyes trained on the appliance in front of her. She could hear a snicker from beside her and she decided to ignore it.

"Talk about _procrastinators._ " She snorted after finishing her cup of tea and setting it down on the coffee table before continuing, "Tsuba-nii, Yuu-chan and Fuuto just never learn, do they?" She finally sighed in frustration upon seeing Tsubaki pop out of nowhere, asking Ukyo and Azusa if they had seen his goggles somewhere.

_"Idiots everywhere."_

"What a mean thing to say, Aya~" She heard someone coo from beside her, followed by a plopping sound from the couch. The girl immediately knew by the way his voice seemed to ring in her ears.

"Don't bother me, Kana-nii." She felt an arm slung around her shoulder and she could only sigh in defeat, not bothering to remove his arm around her. Ayako figured that Kaname would find one way or another to put it around her again.

"Anyway, Ema-nee is all prepared for tomorrow right?" At the mention of her name, Ema perked up, smiling brightly at her direction which Ayako returned. The squirrel which was settled on her shoulder squeaked in what the blue-haired girl thought as agreement.

"You shouldn't wear something so revealing around these guys." Ayako motioned her hand to all the males in the room. Her eyes looked so serious that it somewhat unnerved Ema. She remembered packing a two-piece swimsuit earlier after she came back home from school.

"If you do, make sure you wear something to cover yourself." The younger girl added after a little while which made Ema feel relieved somehow. Ayako laughed after seeing Ema's amusing expression. She found out that the said girl was quite fun to tease, which was a bit worrisome because it seemed like she was getting infected by Tsubaki's and Fuuto's idiocy lately.

"Anyway, I'll be turning in early for the night. I want to make sure I have everything I need tomorrow morning before we leave." Ayako said before standing up and bidding her siblings goodnight. After that, she proceeded to go to her room to sleep.

* * *

It was actually a sight to behold, seeing thirteen males, two girls and a squirrel on a beach. The Asahina family, with the exception of Miwa and Rintarou, had traveled to Okinawa to have their vacation, where they have a family villa.

Ayako looked around their surroundings through her dark-colored sunglasses. The word _spectacular_ and _beautiful_ is an understatement to actually describe the place. She had actually missed the place so much. The last time that she had went here was when she was younger and that was years ago.

Turquoise water surrounded the pristine sand. There were barely any people around yet, since it was already the start of a new semester but it would surely be packed later on. Fortunately for them, they actually had a place to stay at which is exclusively for their use only. And they don't have to book and pay for expenses for a hotel.

"Waaah~" Wataru's voice filled Ayako's ears as she heard her youngest brother cooed in awe. The girl could only smile at the adorable sight. He was currently holding her hand as he looked around his surroundings.

"All right everyone! Let's move out. We have to go to the villa first before having fun." Masaomi, the oldest of them all, took charge of their schedule along with the second oldest, Ukyo.

"It's nice to be out huh, Aya-chan?" Hikaru suddenly appeared beside the younger girl, still wearing his set of women's clothes. A wide-brimmed sun hat slightly covered his features along with a large, sunglasses.

Ayako hummed in response before smiling at the fourth eldest son. But her expression suddenly darkened for a moment, which Hikaru noticed thanks to his sharp eyesight. Somehow, he felt sorry for his younger sister. It seemed like no matter what, everything that had happened in the past was still weighing on her mind.

"You don't need to look so sad, Aya-chan." Hikaru laid a gentle hand on her head, making her look up at him. He had a small, comforting smile on his lips which eased the stinging pain that the girl was feeling in her chest.

"Ah, I'll get to see how much Aya has grown so much throughout the years, won't I?" This time, Kaname suddenly popped up on the other side of Ayako, easily lifting the suitcase that she was trying so hard to drag across the powdery sand. His intervention was obviously on purpose, which Hikaru and Ayako was thankful for internally.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, perverted Kana-nii, but I don't plan to be near you when I'm wearing a swimsuit. Who knows if you'll actually feel me up?" Ayako rolled her eyes playfully, a smile lingering on her lips and her eyes glinting mischievously which can be seen now without the sunglasses hiding it.

Kaname laughed wholeheartedly. The action actually eliciting a soft and reminiscing expression on the young girl's beautiful face. It was rare to see Kaname laughing openly and genuinely like this.

"You know I won't do that. Aya's too precious to me. Her well-being always comes first." The blonde monk, who's wearing casual clothes rather than his usual monk robes, smiled sincerely at Ayako. Hikaru and the blue-haired girl exchanged looks and smiles, before Ayako turned to look at Kaname again, grinning widely and her eyes forming crescent moons.

"Aya knows. Kana-nii told her so in the past..." Ayako spoke in third person, like how they used to do so for fun in the past. Hikaru and Kaname were quite glad that the girl's spirits were easily lifted up. And they knew that she was grateful to them for doing so. The other siblings quietly listened in on their conversation and they were relieved too, on the inside.

* * *

They arrived in their family villa, which Ema and Ayako found extravagant, despite the latter being here a few years ago. Somehow, it didn't really change except for the color of the walls and the arrangement of the furniture and appliances.

"It didn't even change. The exterior's still the same, although I bet Mama asked for someone to repaint it." Ayako quietly said to no one in particular.

The family of sixteen, including Juli in the count, went inside. Masaomi handed the keys to the respective rooms' owners. All of them owned a room. And Ema, being the new addition to the family got her own too seeing that the villa has a few more spare rooms.

Ayako got the key from Masaomi and found Kaname heading to where her room was located. She followed the blonde monk, not even a bit wary if he's going to pull something on her.

Ema sent her a worried glance which the blue-haired girl caught. However, she only returned it with a reassuring smile and a playful wink. The female brunette finally smiled at that and left for her room, with the eldest sibling assisting her.

* * *

"Aya-nee!" A flurry of footsteps raged through the corridors along with a familiar voice of their youngest sibling, Wataru, who called her.

She and Kaname already arrived in front of her room, with Ayako unlocking the door and was about to go in with the third eldest before they were stopped by Wataru. She didn't know how their youngest sibling could be this upbeat when they were all quite tired from travelling earlier.

"What is it, Wataru-chan?" She bent down to his level before looking up at her waiting older brother. Ayako motioned for him to go inside already to place her luggage, while she accommodates their younger brother.

"You'll play with me too, later, okay?" At that plea of the youngest, Ayako cannot help but nod with a kind, sisterly smile. She kissed the tip of his nose before patting his head gently.

"Of course! You're my baby brother, so I'll be playing with you and with big brothers, alright?" Wataru nodded eagerly, flashing her a brilliant grin which made her chuckle.

"But first, you must return to Masa-nii to unpack your belongings before we go play outside, hm?" He obediently nodded at Ayako's suggestion and waved goodbye, telling her that 'Aya-nee should also go prepare before Masa-nii scolds her too'.

Ayako went inside her room after seeing Wataru disappear down the hallways of the villa, to his room where their eldest brother was probably waiting for him. The girl had forgotten that she actually has a visitor who had helped her put away her luggage while she talked to Wataru who was quite excited to play.

Kaname was standing in the middle of her room, with her suitcase at the foot of the queen-sized bed. He was looking at her with a small smirk playing across his lips and his eyes shining playfully.

"I'll see you later, _imouto_ -chan!" At the nickname Kaname used, Ayako can't help but feel a bit peeved. Not because he addressed her as _'little sister'_ but because she had heard Kaname use the same nickname for Ema.

The blue-haired girl knows that it was childish of her to feel this way, but she can't help feeling like she was being replaced. She clenched a fist over where her heart is, as if it would help her alleviate the stinging pain she was currently feeling.

_'Or has it already been that way even I have returned...?'_

Her thoughts were cut off when the blonde monk ruffled her head affectionately as he passed by her, oblivious of the girl's feelings. Ayako's face contorted into a mix of disbelief and frustration. However, she quickly hid it with a forced yet convincing smile.

"See you later, _Kaname-niisan._ " She called out to him as she followed the older male to the door of the room, shutting it close on his very face, which clearly surprised him.

The way she had called him obviously meant that there was something up. She rarely called him that way unless she's serious or he did something to annoy or anger Ayako. Kaname tried to recall if he did something to upset the girl and was about to knock on her door again, but decided otherwise. He'll make sure to talk it out with Ayako later if they have a chance to be alone.

* * *

Ayako sighed deeply, feeling remorseful at her disgraceful actions towards her older brother. But she blamed Kaname for calling her the same way he calls their step-sister, Ema. Also, he clearly knows that she's one of the sensitive and possessive type of person in the Asahina household and they all know it, because the oldest ones basically watched her grow up ever since she was a toddler.

Unwillingly, the girl decided to push those thoughts to the very back of her mind and told herself that she was supposed to enjoy this vacation rather than dwelling on useless matters any further.

Heading to the bathroom with a set of clothes, Ayako changed into her red bikini with black linings and strings, revealing her curvaceous body and ample bosom. She also wore a slightly see-through, black beach wrap which reaches until her mid-thighs on top of her swimsuit so as not to expose too much skin.

The color of what she wore contrasted greatly with her pale complexion. Her brothers would most probably go ballistic if ever they saw her wearing something too revealing. She'll probably get grounded even, knowing their overprotective natures.

Ayako got her sun hat tied with a red ribbon around it, her trusty sunglasses, a towel and wore her flip flops before going out of her room, heading to the living room of their villa.

There, she saw her brothers fawning openly or secretly over Ema who was wearing a large, off-shoulder shirt over her bikini which reached the same length as her beach wrap, as far as Ayako had observed. The brunette's hair was down, the same as Ayako's hairstyle.

She could clearly see how they some of them were shying away from her or blushing in a corner. Ayako raised an eyebrow, as she descended down the stairs, chuckling quietly. Fuuto was the first one to notice her since he was nearer to the staircase than the others do, because he was trying to avoid getting near Ema when the rest are all over her.

_'Boys will be boys...'_

"Aya-neesan," the twelfth sibling out of the thirteen males called out quietly, stupefied at how stunning Ayako looked like in her outfit. However, he quickly composed himself though there was a hint of pink spread across his cheeks.

"Oh, Fuuto," Ayako stood next to him, examining him from head to toe before her eyes settled down on his face. Fuuto was wearing a plain, white shirt, a knee-length, navy blue and white striped beach shorts and a pair of flip flops. He also wore his signature hairclips, with the help of Louis, obviously.

"Feeling bored?" The blue-haired girl asked him as she observed the scene unfolding before their very eyes. Currently, the shy and blushing Ema was surrounded by the-ever-so-loud Tsubaki with Azusa trying to _tame_ him. Yusuke, on the other hand, was getting angry at the white-haired _voice actor_ who was, according to him, harassing ' _Hinata_ '.

"Nah, this entertainment is good enough. Besides, we'll be playing on the beach a little later when they take notice that you're already here." Fuuto rolled his eyes, which didn't escape the girl's sharp, dark blue eyes.

"So, I was the last one to arrive..." Ayako mumbled under her breath, somewhat feeling a bit off. Fortunately, Fuuto didn't hear what she had said and how it sounded. She'd probably be interrogated.

"Say, Fuuto, don't you think you shouldn't go out in the sun?" She suddenly asked the young idol who looked at her incredulously, possibly wondering why she abruptly asked something like that.

"I'm not a vampire, Aya-nee. Being exposed in the sun a little won't hurt me." This time, the older female was the one who rolled her eyes at her brother's stupidity. It seemed as if he didn't really get what she implied.

"I'm not talking about you being a supernatural creature. I was talking about you being an idol who should take better care of himself, you idiotic younger brother."

The girl sighed as if it was supposed to be the most obvious thing that Fuuto should notice. On the other hand, Fuuto narrowed his eyes and made her sister face him. She just stared at him questioningly, mouthing a question of _'What?'_ to him.

"Nothing."

He snorted out of annoyance and Ayako smirked victoriously at him, sticking out her tongue playfully. It earned her a painful pinch on the cheeks from Fuuto, making her yelp in pain. Unfortunately, this caught the attention of others who stared at the two of them, making a ruckus.

However, the Asahina brothers immediately took notice of what Ayako's wearing. A chorus of their nicknames for her were heard throughout the mansion, leaving Ema with Juli for Ayako who was now being lectured by her brothers. Fuuto, on the other hand, looked pissed because his moment with Ayako was disturbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! TheWhimsicalNoirette is back!
> 
> I hope everyone liked the recent update. I'm on a writing spree these past few days, so I think I would be able to finish editing this story soon enough. Hopefully.
> 
> As for the chapter of Ayako's first day at school, I'll include that in the omake that I'll be doing, since we've already reached the tenth chapter. I was actually already planning to make an omake if I ever reached ten chapters in every story of mine.
> 
> That's actually a huge achievement for me, to be quite honest. I always had a hard time continuing to write stories because it's either I'd lose my interest or I'd end up having a writer's block which will lead to my laziness to continue further.
> 
> And it would be probably still quite a while before Ayako's whole past is revealed. I already have a vague outline. As for the details, I'm still adding and omitting here and there, so yeah.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for the continuous love and support for this story! See you next time!


	8. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I told you, I'm fine already, Aya." He gently assured the girl who glared at him in response, but did not say anything anymore but put the cold towel over his forehead.

"Kyaaa~" Ayako squealed as one of her siblings splashed water at her. She wasn't sure who it exactly was, because he hadn't gotten a good look. The fine, golden sand felt squishy under her feet as she tried to run back to the safety of the shore.

The girl was now only wearing her swimsuit, which made some random guys who were also on the island to stare at her body shamefully. One of those random guys had enough courage to decide that it was a good time to approach her.

"Hey!" He called out, catching the attention of the female teenager.

Ayako glanced at him, a quizzical eyebrow raised. She doesn't remember if they had met before but she definitely know that he was not someone that she know of. So, she figured that he was talking to her because he was finding someone to hit on.

"Yes?" The girl asked warily but before he could respond to her using a corny pick-up line, her attention immediately shifted when she heard the panicked voice of Ema calling out to Louis. She could vaguely make out his listless figure, underneath the umbrella he was at.

Her eyes widened as she ran towards the direction where her family was at, leaving the guy behind to gape at her when he saw her running towards a bunch of hot and gorgeous guys which he had no idea that they actually are her family members.

"What the..." were the only words left that he could mutter, out of surprise.

"Louis-nii!" The blue-haired girl ran to her brother's side who fainted because of the heat, a wet towel in her hand. She made the others make way for her and they immediately did so, knowing that she'll take care of the matter at hand.

Ema, on the other hand, was looking a bit pale and anxious. Ayako sent her a reassuring smile before getting back to wiping Louis with the wet towel she had brought. She laid his head down on her lap, despite her not wearing that much clothing except for her swimsuit.

"Masa-nii, can I have a bottle of cold water?" The oldest passed one to her and cradled light-haired male in her arms, helping him up to drink water. Masaomi seemed calm as he saw how Ayako was handling the situation pretty well.

"Sorry for worrying you like this, Chi-chan..." Louis managed to utter softly, which made their newest sister to breath out of relief. However, Ayako was quite annoyed at the fact that Louis had only apologized to Ema. She bit her lower lip, slightly upset.

"Louis-nii, it's not the time for you to worry about others! Why'd you have to come out in this heat, when you know you can't handle it?" Ayako exasperatedly scolded the light-haired male who was back to laying on her lap. Louis just smiled at her tiredly, his eyes barely open.

"I wanted to spend time with all of you, since you just got back."

This made the girl furrow her eyebrows, a frown settling on her lips because of his response. Then, she glared at the others who were silently watching over them. They all jumped, startled when they met eyes with her. Ayako was definitely not letting the matter go easily.

"And you guys? We all know, Louis-nii's weak against the heat! You could've made sure he was rehydrated or at least was feeling cool." The frown wasn't leaving her face anytime soon. But, she decided against it and just sighed tiredly. When she saw the worried expressions on her siblings though, Ayako was immediately overcame with guilt.

"I'll accompany Louis-nii in the villa for a while to make sure he's okay. You guys go have fun. Don't do anything stupid, you all hear me? Also, look after Wataru-chan properly or else I'll be gutting you all if anything happens to him too!" Ayako slightly threatened and they could all feel shivers running down their spine, except for the eldest ones since they have the same train of thoughts as the girl.

"Ah, Aya-chan's so reliable as ever~" Tsubaki cooed affectionately as the girl walked, supporting Louis, towards their villa. The others just nodded their heads, confirming that they agree with what he said.

Ema, on the other hand, was still looking worried. She felt guilty for not noticing earlier that one of her brothers, especially one of the closest ones to her, was not feeling well. She would have to pay Louis a visit to his room later on, before they retire in the night.

"Geez, Louis-nii..." Ayako sighed, as she entered his room and laid him down on the large bed in the middle. She could hear his soft chuckle as she brought a small basin and newly washed face towel back from the bathroom connected to his room.

"I told you, I'm fine already, Aya." He gently assured the girl who glared at him in response, but did not say anything anymore but put the cold towel over his forehead.

"Could you remove your jacket? It's too hot for that sort of clothes. I'll turn on the aircon so change into a set of new ones, alright? Tell me when you're done." The girl did what she needed to do and Louis went to his walk-in closet and changed, coming back out to lay down on his bed.

"I'm done." Ayako turned around when she heard his declaration and sat on the armchair near his bedside, staring intently at his face. When he squirmed uncomfortably, the blue-haired girl laughed lightly.

"Rest well for today, Louis-nii. I'll check up on you later, okay? I'll bring you something to eat too." Ayako smiled and kissed his forehead, which made the male smile at her gratefully, before she left the room completely.

The whole afternoon, Louis did rested well in his room after Ayako left. He was thankful to have a thoughtful and kind sister who takes care of them well. All the fatigue that he had at work, vanished completely as he wandered in dreamland.

Ayako went back to where the others were. She was immediately bombarded with questions and whatnot by her brothers which made the girl a bit irritated. But she calmed herself down, knowing that they were only concerned for Louis's well-being.

"Stop, will you? Louis-nii's just fine. He was sleeping and I made sure it was cool in his room before I left him at the villa." She assured the rest and it earned her a chorus of relieved sighs. Masaomi patted her head, proud at the fact that she was able to do a job well done.

"Then we can go have fun, Aya~" An arm wrapped around her waist while a voice cooed in her ear, slightly startling her. However, she recognized it too well. The blue-haired girl made sure to glare intensely at the male who dared to touch her bare skin.

"Let. Go. Tsuba-nii." She spat the words out in a dangerously low voice.

"No."

Tsubaki grinned at her like a chesire cat when another arm wrapped around her shoulders from her other side, making Ayako squirm uncomfortably. Their bare skins were against each other and she was sure that she was turning red by the second.

Seeing each other half-naked when they were younger was alright. But being next to them, especially when they are grown-ups now and barely having any clothes to cover their upper body, was a whole other matter to be discussed.

"Fuuto... Tsuba-nii..."

Ayako's eyes were closed shut, her body slightly trembling and her fists clenched beside her body. She was definitely about to blow up, but someone beat her to it and saved her from her brothers who were teasing her out of their own amusement.

THUMP, THUMP

"Ow!" Both boys yelped in unison, Ukyo towering over them with a nasty glare in his eyes. They let go of Ayako and the girl immediately went to their second oldest brother, seeking protection behind his broad back.

"You two deserved that." The girl stuck her tongue out childishly when she felt something draping over her shoulders. She looked up to see the blonde lawyer covering her with her towel.

"You should go change now before you get cold, Aya. Go and bring Ema with you." Ukyo patted her head gently before giving Tsubaki and Fuuto warning looks. The light-haired male cowered in fear and laughed awkwardly, while the young idol just sighed and left without a word.

"Aya-nee!" Wataru called out from under the umbrella, eating a watermelon. She smiled and approached the youngest, who was sitting beside Masaomi.

"You want some?" Still smiling, she sat beside the youngest, covering her lower half with her towel while Masaomi handed her his shirt.

"You should cover your body with something. You might catch a cold, Aya."

Ayako nodded gratefully at the oldest before adding, "Thanks, Masa-nii. Perverts everywhere. Tsuba-nii and Fuuto even tried to hit on me." She sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. Masaomi just laughed, light-heartedly.

"You know, they really missed you. They were one of the closest to you, right?" Ayako looked down on her lap, feeling down all of a sudden.

"All of you are precious to me, Masa-nii." She tried to reason out but he cut her off, "But they're the ones whom you spent most of your time with, right? You don't have to feel guilty." Masaomi smiled at her kindly as he handed her a piece of watermelon that they had cut earlier.

Wataru was just quietly looking between their eldest brother and one of his older sisters. He somewhat guessed that they were talking about something complicated, since the mood was kind of heavy.

But it was soon over, like they weren't talking about something sentimental a little while ago when Ayako wiped Wataru's face with a tissue paper since the fruit's juice was spilling.

The blue-haired girl quietly nibbled on her watermelon while Masaomi watched over his younger siblings. He just hoped that Ayako would somehow open up to them. Or even to one of them. He wished that their younger sister would soon get over the painful memories that she had during the time that she wasn't with them.

Masaomi did not want to see even one of his siblings suffer in any kind of pain. And definitely not Ayako, whom they treasure so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! TheWhimsicalNoirette is back. :)
> 
> I'm sorry for the late update. Well, I kind of had a writer's block.
> 
> And I didn't want to force writing since I know if I did, it would just turn out crappy. You guys would definitely won't be happy about that.
> 
> Anyway, kindly vote and comment! To those who added this to their library, thank you. I will really appreciate it so much. Please continue to give this story lots of love and support.
> 
> Thank you so much!


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